DUI Lawyer Culver City, CA

DUI Lawyer Culver City. If you're up against a DUI in Culver City, it can feel overwhelming. Besides losing your license, there's a lot at stake; you're up against thousand dollar fines, years in jail, and more. You can face DUI charges even for just refusing to take the tests, and in some cases, refusing can give you even worse penalties. And DUIs involving drugs are treated differently than those involving alcohol.

If you're facing these types of charges in CA, you need someone in your corner. Trying to fight against the prosecution is a fight you want backup for, which is why the Law Offices of David S. Chesley is ready to stand by your side.

We are CA's best DUI defense lawyers and have extensive experience defending against all types of DUI charges. When you hire us, you're getting a team of former prosecutors who know how to protect you in the Culver City, CA, legal system and get you the best outcome possible.

Take too long to start your defense, and you could miss your chance. Get a hold of us now at (800) 755-5174 or send us a note online to start building your defense strategy today.

What Happens After a DUI Arrest in Culver City?

CA DUI Law allows an officer to arrest you even if you BAC is below .08, or if you aren't tested at all. This is because the officer can make a subjective judgment about whether you are impaired or not, probably using field sobriety tests, then make arrests based on that.

Right after your arrest, the CA legal system starts moving towards both a license suspension and criminal charges. You can expect the following steps to play out in your case:

Suspension: Your license suspension can start the minute the officer arrests you – you will be given a 30-day, temporary license, and your permanent license will be confiscated by the officer. In the meantime, the police are informing the DMV about the arrest, beginning the formal suspension.
Arraignment: After your arrest and before your release, you will go to court, and a prosecutor will announce what charges you're up against.
DMV Hearing: As soon as you're released from jail, you'll want to set up a DMV hearing within 10 days to protect your license.
Pretrial Motions: Often, at the same time as your arraignment, the court will set conditions for your release, pending a trial. In the interim, your Culver City DUI defense attorney will file pretrial potions, likely including some to dismiss charges, and a "blood split" motion to retest your blood sample.
Negotiations With the Prosecutor: In the midst of pretrial motions, your DUI defense attorney will communicate with the Culver City prosecutor to avoid a trial with a plea deal that protects you. But if you do have to fight the charges in a trial, your attorney should be building a defense now.
Criminal Trial: Only a small percentage of DUI charges go to trial, but we're prepared to defend your license and freedom if it does.
Sentencing/Sealing: Depending on how your case proceeds, you may face sanctions. However, if you are found not guilty or enough time has passed, it's possible that your record will be eligible for sealing.

Our DUI legal experts can help you with any step of the legal process, on both the criminal defense and license side. For advice on any stage with your charges, we have the experience to help you move towards a positive outcome!

Culver City DUI Allegations and Criminal Cases vs. DMV Hearings

Culver City, CA, DUI charges are always a two-pronged challenge: The criminal case and the administrative case. These are handled separately by the state, but when you hire the right attorney, they can defend you in both cases.

Here are the key things to be aware of for each, and insights into how we protect your freedom and driving privileges:

Culver City, CA, DUI Criminal Charges

Allegedly violating DUI laws will result in criminal charges, for which you will need to go through the CA legal system.

Your DUI case will typically go through the same process as any other criminal charge – first, you're arrested. Second, you're informed of the charges at an arraignment. Third, you go through pre-trial motions and negotiations. And finally, if it comes to it, a trial.

At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, we build your defense and attack the supposed wrongdoing. We'll question whether or not the traffic stop was legitimate, argue against he officer's observations, look for weaknesses in the breathalyzer test, and search for other witnesses or evidence that can exonerate you.

We have an extremely strong track record of clients who have avoided jail time. Often, we'll negotiate a plea deal to reduce the charges, frequently to a wet reckless, exhibition of speed, or reckless driving charge. We'll alsoavoid jail time with a probation sentence.

Culver City, CA, DUI License Suspension

On the other side of a Culver City DUI charge is the DMV and your license suspension. This suspension goes into effect automatically, and in order to fight it, you'll need to request an administrative hearing within ten days of your arrest.

At the administrative hearing, you're not facing criminal charges. In fact, even if you receive a "not guilty" verdict, you can still lose your license. Instead, the hearing is to determine if you were rightfully arrested, if your BAC was at or above 0.08, the legal limit, or, if you refused to BAC tests, whether or not you were properly informed of the consequences. When you work with us, we'll challenge the legitimacy of the stop, the arrest, and the BAC reading.

Outside of that ten-day window, though, there probably isn't a way to get your license unsuspended. Outside of rare cases, you don't get a second chance to set up that hearing. This is why it's critical to contact a Culver City DUI defense lawyer as soon as you can after an arrest.

Potential Penalties for a DUI in Culver City

CA DUI criminal penalties are a lot to face – even for the ones considered misdemeanors, you could still end up with a year in jail, or six months for a first offense.

In this table, you can review the different penalties you could be trying to avoid, depending on how exactly your charged and your history:

Alleged DUI Offense	Jail/Prison Time	Fine
First Time DUI	48 Hours to 6 Months	Up to $1,000
Second Time DUI	96 Hours to 1 Year	Up to $1,000
Third Time DUI	120 Days to 1 Year	Up to $1,000
Fourth Time DUI (Felony)	16 Months to 3 Years	Up to $1,000
DUI Injury (Misdemeanor)	Up to 1 Year	Up to $1,000
DUI Injury (Felony)	Up to 4 Years	Up to $5,000
DUI Manslaughter (Misdemeanor)	Up to 1 Year	Up to $1,000
DUI Manslaughter (Felony)	4, 6 or 10 Years	Up to $10,000

On top of whatever sentence you receive in Culver City court, you have to endure several collateral consequences, such as rising insurance rates and barriers between you and professional licenses.

After the Case: Expungement/Sealing

Whether you're found guilty or not guilty, you'll want to get back to life as normal, before the charges. However, your arrest and/or criminal record doesn't go away easily. Depending on your case outcome, you may be eligible to either expunge or seal your records. Our DUI defense team can also assist you with sealing/expunging records, and give you a chance to clean your record.

Top DUI Defense Attorneys in Culver City: What You Need to Know

Up against DUI charges? It's important to pick the right lawyer to represent you. Your team needs the abilities, history, and relationships to find the best outcome for your case. The top Culver City, CA, DUI defense attorneys will have all of the following:

Experience: As defense attorneys, and also prosecutors. At the Law Offices of David S. Chesley, several of our members are former judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement, totalling over 50 years of experience.
Availability: DUI allegations can happen any time, day or night. Our phones are ready for your call 24/7.
Relationships: You need connections to get a good plea deal. We're familiar with the prosecutors in Culver City and all throughout CA.
Reputation: Not just with clients and friends, but also amongst their peers. We're proud to have received numerous accolades and to be recognized as the top DUI lawyer in CA.
Track Record of Success: Winners win. It's as simple as that. And we win, a lot. In fact, 95% of our DUI cases result in no jail time.

Our recent DUI Case results speak for themselves. We're ready to add you to our list of success stories.

Call our DUI Lawyers today for a free consult.

DUI Case Types We Defend in Culver City

Whatever DUI charge you're up against in Culver City, CA – our DUI defense team is prepared to defend you against the charges.

Here is a list of the DUI charges we typically defend:

Timing is Critical – Contact Our Culver City DUI Defense Attorneys TODAY

DUI allegations are no joke. After you've been charged, it can be a whirlwind of legal processes. The police officer takes your license, you might be interrogated, you're told you have a court date…it's easy to be out of control. With everything going on, your best way out is to call a DUI defense attorney immediately.

Don't sit by and watch the evidence mount against you. Don't miss your chance for a DMV administrative hearing to protect your license. Don't wait and realize that it's suddenly too late. Hire the Law Offices of David S. Chesley to protect you.

We're experts at defending all Culver City, CA DUI charges. We're prepared to start building your defense now and will begin protecting your license and your freedom as soon as you call. Talk with one of us now at (800) 755-5174 or fill out our contact form online for a confidential consultation.

We also provide the following legal services in Culver City, CA:

FREE CONSULTATION

Please fill out the form and someone will be in touch with you shortly.

Los Angeles County(213) 341-4427
Sacramento / Sonoma(916) 248-4717
Orange County(714) 442-2601
Alameda / San Joaquin(510) 403-8809
San Bern / Riverside(909) 748-5272
Ventura County(805) 248-7408
San Diego County(619) 752-2235
Fresno / Santa Clara(559) 365-7055
Kern / Santa Barbara(661) 473-0422
Northern California(530) 427-4167

Affordable Rates

Payment Plans

View Service Areas

Areas We Serve

Los Angeles County(213) 341-4427
Orange County(714) 442-2601
San Diego County(619) 752-2235
Ventura County(805) 248-7408
San Bernardino County(909) 748-5272
Riverside County(951) 329-9499
Alameda / San Joaquin(510) 403-8809
Santa Barbara(805) 791-2162
Sacramento / Sonoma(916) 248-4717
South L.A. / Long Beach(562) 786-8383
City of L.A. / East L.A.(310) 882-6466
Fresno / Santa Clara(559) 365-7055
San Fernando Valley(818) 614-9567
OC Coastal Cities(949) 891-0102
Bakersfield / Kern(661) 473-0422
San Francisco(510) 403-8809

Recent Results

Our client faced multiple serious charges in Los Angeles County, including Penal Code § 211 (Robbery), § 245(a)(1) (Assault with a Deadly Weapon), and § 245(a)(4) (Assault with Force Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury). Unlike a co-defendant represented by another firm who pled to a felony conviction with a "strike," our legal team pursued a different strategy. Through the submission of a comprehensive mitigation package to the District Attorney, we successfully negotiated a complete dismissal of all charges.
Our client faced serious charges under Penal Code section 211 for alleged felony robbery involving force and fear in Riverside County (Murrieta Court) . The prosecution argued that probation was not appropriate due to our client’s prior felony convictions in San Bernardino County, including a previous robbery in April 2021 and grand theft in November 2019. Despite the severity of these allegations, our legal team successfully demonstrated insufficient evidence during the preliminary hearing. As a result, all charges were dismissed. This outcome allowed our client to move forward without the burden of a new conviction.
Multiple defendants each facing 7 years charged with smuggling prescription drugs into California from Mexico our client was the only defendant who received NO JAIL TIME!
Client facing 5 years for possession of deadly weapon we negotiated a plea for NO JAIL TIME!
Client facing 3 life terms for multiple felony counts of Child Molestation and Sodomy with child we proved the charges were fabricated by victims mother DISMISSAL of all charges at preliminary hearing!
Strike case: Client charged with possession of methamphetamine facing 25 years we filed a Romero Motion which was granted case REDUCED TO MISDEMEANOR!
Client's estranged girlfriend alleged Client broke into her room and choked her facing 14 years in State Prison we won at trial JURY ACQUITTAL.
Police allegedly discovered 3 bags of marijuana in client's glove box faced 6 years we filed a 1538.5 motion to suppress resulting in DISMISSAL of all charges!

Awards and Certifications

What our clients say Client Testimonials

I am truly pleased with my experience with the Law Offices Of David S Chesley. They answered all my questions and provided me with great advice and legal services. My case resolved quickly. Thank you! Rodrigo L.

I left court yesterday with my last case being wrapped up. Two court appearances and that’s it. He represented me in a couple of different cases and was impressive to say the least. Always a phone call or text message away. Confident and aggressive when he needed to be. Calming and thorough when meeting with me. Attorney Chesley did exactly what he said he would and I got the results I needed. He seemed to know all the right people at the Temple Street courthouse. You can always get in contact with him quickly and he is a great lawyer. I highly recommend his legal services. Ricardo Esteves

My brother was given a very caring attorney that was assigned to his case and we had very helpful case managers throughout the process. I strongly recommend David Chesley to anyone who is in trouble. I called in to get help on my brothers case and right away I liked their service. My brothers charges were eventually dismissed after the attorney got him into a program, now he could go on without the trouble of having anything on his record Erica Geller

I retained Mr. Chesley and his firm and from the beginning they were extremely professional both in communicating the status of my case to me, explaining the situation as a whole, and just downright taking care of business. It was money well spent for a job well done. Thanks again to David and Melissa others that worked on my case. I recommend this firm to anyone in need of legal representation. Don’t just accept things the courts force on you, call this firm and protect yourself. Elizabeth F.

I contacted Mr. Chesley and his firm because some unfortunate events had left me in a jam. Detectives were demanding I testify or be prosecuted for a crime I didn’t commit. (I wasn’t involved or even at the scene of the alleged crime when it supposedly took place.) Mr. Chesley explained to me that he had been through similar situations with his clients before and understood exactly what was going on. His response to what took place was nothing short of amazing. No matter how small my concern, Mr. Chesley addressed it in a timely manner. He advocated for what is right and empathized with me in dealing with the Court system. After meeting with the supervising D.A. and providing alibi evidence he was able to get me out the situation. I’m very grateful to have found him. Leon Hanley

I hired David Chesley for my criminal defense in 2012. he was recommended to us for is success results and his low fees. David is very smart and his professional legal advice was honest & much appreciated during these stressful time. David’s knowledge, advice, and communication about what we were to expect was reassuring and beneficial to me. He charged me a reasonable flat rate and didn’t charge me any surprise fees. In my case David Chesley was able to negotiate with the prosecution attorney for the best result I could hope for. He had success at getting my criminal charges dismissed with the judges approval. You will not be disappointed if you hire The Law Offices of David S. Chesley. Britanny Givens

David is very professional, yet very casual. Although it is typically not easy to speak straight up with an attorney, he is very easy to talk to. He replied to my questions quickly and was available all hours. Not only did he get my case resolved with a dismissal, he went above and beyond and got me an expungement without me even requesting it. He never beats around the bush and tells you like it is. At the same time is willing to work overtime to get the results you request. I would use David’s services again in the future. Andrew A.

very satisfied being a client with the Law Offices of David Chesley.. Negin represented both my husband and I and got both our cases dis issued… Negin was on top of our cases she really cares and did everything she said she would do!!! thanks a lot Negin Rita K.

I don’t write many reviews, however this time I had to share my admiration and appreciation for this firm. Attorney Negin Akhavan is definitely a person you want representing you in any criminal legal battle. She is the clear definition of the frace “is not what you know, but who you know ” she is not only knowledgeable, she also has the relationships with the right people. I couldn’t be happier with the results she was able to provide. Thank you Negin. Gabriel V.

An old felony charge came up, so I hired David and his team in June, and he got me a release on my own cognition on a felony charge in July which has never happened to me, and got it dismissed in October. He was responsive when I called and always kept me updated. Got my case dismissed, was easy to work and handled everything for me. He did an excellent job. I highly recommend David Chesley for any criminal defense. Jason Corona

They really helped me out in a timely manner. I had a drug charge from 16 years ago and they dealt with it quickly. I can’t recommend them enough. If you have a criminal charges check them out they are awesome. Santiago L.